diff --git a/config/aerc.conf b/config/aerc.conf
index c60f4b0..6208f5d 100644
--- a/config/aerc.conf
+++ b/config/aerc.conf
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ unsafe-accounts-conf=false
 # Describes the format for each row in a mailbox view. This field is compatible
 # with mutt's printf-like syntax.
 #
-# Default: %D %-17.17n %Z %s
+# Default: %-20.20D %-17.17n %Z %s
 index-format=%-20.20D %-17.17n %Z %s
 
 #
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index f69dd39..ead5456 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -723,11 +723,11 @@ func LoadConfigFromFile(root *string, accts []string) (*AercConfig, error) {
 		},
 
 		Ui: UIConfig{
-			IndexFormat:        "%D %-17.17n %s",
+			IndexFormat:        "%-20.20D %-17.17n %Z %s",
 			TimestampFormat:    "2006-01-02 03:04 PM",
-			ThisDayTimeFormat:  "",
-			ThisWeekTimeFormat: "",
-			ThisYearTimeFormat: "",
+			ThisDayTimeFormat:  "03:04 PM",
+			ThisWeekTimeFormat: "Monday 03:04 PM",
+			ThisYearTimeFormat: "January 02",
 			ShowHeaders: []string{
 				"From", "To", "Cc", "Bcc", "Subject", "Date",
 			},